Pyramids First built during Old Kingdom

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Presentation on theme: "Pyramids First built during Old Kingdom"— Presentation transcript:

1 Pyramids First built during Old Kingdom~80 pyramids still standing today.Housed the bodies of dead pharaohs.A pharaoh’s eternal tombHoused their prized possessions for them to enjoy in the afterlife.

2 MastabasFirst, pyramids were a series of mastabas (oblong tombs) stacked on top of one another.Step Pyramid of Djoser began as a single mastaba, on which 5 additional mastabas were placed.Burial chamber of pharaoh remained underground.Made of mud bricks.

3 Step Pyramid Invented by Imhotep.Built for the Pharaoh Djoser - ruled during the Third Dynasty (~ BCE)What’s a dynasty?A series of rulers belonging to the same family.First pyramids to be made of stone.

4 Facts 62 m high Base: 125 m Built of limestoneMortuary temple on North side.

5 Meydum Begun by Huni, finished by Sneferu.Near Fayium Oasis near village of Meydum.Initially an 8 step pyramidLater steps were encased in a smooth shell to create a true pyramid.

7 Meydum’s Mystery Why does it look like a step pyramid today?Collapsed during New Kingdom.Several theories:collapsed during constructionSneferu abandoned it and was later used a quarry for other monuments.

8 Bent Pyramid Planned as a true pyramid from the outset.Built by SneferuThe 54° angle too steep -> adjusted to 43° to make more structurally sound.Has a “bent” look at the top, hence the name.

10 Facts Built between 2600 and 2500 BCEBuilt for the kings of the Fourth Dynasty:Khufu (aka Cheops)KhafreMenkaureMost famous is the Great Pyramid - King Khufu’s tomb (Sneferu’s son).Only ancient wonder of the world still standing.

11 More facts Height - 146m (taller than the Statue of Liberty).Each side - 238m long (about 10 football fields)Constructed of 2.5 million stone blocks. Each block weighed ~2.5 tons - the weight of about 25 refrigerators.

12 Valley of the Kings Valley of the QueensNew KingdomRealization that pyramid announced riches  robbersSecurity2 quiet valleys near LuxorElaborate tombs cut into valley walls